October Employment Roundup: Month ends with bad news by Bord na Móna

October’s Employment roundup concludes with bad news by Bord na Móna as company announces up to 430 job losses in the midlands.

Job vacancies (Pic: Inside Ireland.ie)

Bord na Móna
SIPTU has called on the Government to take ‘immediate action’ to assist the Bord na Móna workers facing the loss of their jobs and the communities which ‘face economic hardship due to the company’s plans to accelerate the closure of its peat processing operations’.

Bord na Mona announced on 24 October that it will make up to 430 job losses across Bord na Móna’s peat business, but confirmed that they will seek these redundancies on a voluntary basis.

The company added it wants 150 redundancies by April next year, and that staff will be offered an exit package.

Bord na Móna did add that it is developing new businesses to support the low carbon economy and has identified potential to ‘create up to 500 jobs across the midlands in the medium term’.

In a joint statement, Ministers Richard Bruton and Heather Humphreys admitted that 25 October was a ‘difficult day’ for many Bord na Móna workers and their communities.

“Crucially today’s announcement is expected to provide for long-term, sustainable employment for the Midlands – including 400-500 jobs in new areas of the business, such as renewable energy and resource recovery. All relevant State supports are available to the workers impacted by today’s announcement. Bord na Móna will provide additional supports to workers who opt for redundancy, including reskilling opportunities. The Government welcomes the extensive consultation which will now take place with workers in the coming weeks.”

-Richard Bruton TD and Heather Humphreys TD

SIPTU Sector Organiser, Willie Noone, said the Bord na Móna decision announced on Wednesday emphasises the ‘call by SIPTU representatives and others for the prioritisation of the ‘Just Transition’ framework, which is focused on alleviating the hardship on the workers and communities affected’.

“Recently in the Dáil, the Minister [Richard Bruton] said that the Government’s National Mitigation plan recognises that the economic opportunities in the low carbon economy are key to ensuring a ‘Just Transition’. However, he then stated that the terms of reference of a report on the economic and employment implications of the transition to a low carbon economy have yet to be finalised. It is imperative that tangible plans are developed and resourced as a matter of urgency. Workers should not be faced with job losses in circumstances where no alternative employment is available and no assurances have been given that they will receive decent severance packages.”

-SIPTU

SIPTU said its members are calling for a ‘clear commitment’ from the Minister that state agencies, such as Bord na Móna, will be mandated to treat their employees ‘fairly and engage in meaningful negotiation’ with workers representatives. They are also calling on all elected representatives to work for ‘effective solutions’ to alleviate the impact of the scale of job losses facing workers and communities in the Midlands.”

Fianna Fáil TD for Offaly, Barry Cowen has said that a Sustainable Transition Forum should be established to support the Midlands economy.

“We need an enterprise and innovation fund to help realise the potential for alternative job creation in the region. The workforce in situ at present are incredibly talented and skilled; we must find ways of using these skills to keep quality employment in the Midlands.”

-Barry Cowen TD

Jobs created by Efectis in NI

Efectis is establishing a new business in Co Antrim, offering fire testing services to UK and Ireland based manufacturing businesses who are servicing the construction sector.

Seven new roles will be created as part of this investment, which is locating at Ulster University’s Fire Safety Engineering Research and Technology Centre in Jordanstown.

“The new jobs, to be recruited by 2020, include laboratory technicians, operators, as well as administrator and leadership positions and will generate more than £200,000 annually in additional salaries to the local economy.”-Susan O’Kane, Eastern Regional Manager, Invest NI

Over the next three years, the company says it plans to recruit ‘experienced engineers’ who will be responsible for carrying out the UKAS accredited fire tests to British and European standards.

VEI Global creates 35 new jobs in Kildare

Minister for Trade Pat Breen announced 35 new jobs through local Kildare company VEI Global on 23 October.

VEI Global is an Independent Voice/Network Consultancy and Technical Service provider established in 2010 based in Kildare, the company also have offices in Belfast and London and plan to open an additional European Office early 2019.

The minister said in 2017, LEO Kildare supported 41 different business projects with direct financial assistance worth (€456,435). Its 171 client companies created 128 new net jobs across the county in 2017. It also provided training for 1,684 entrepreneurs and mentoring for another 432 entrepreneurs.

Citrix creates 30 new jobs in Dublin

IT company Citrix has expanded office space in North Dublin on 22 October and says it will be adding 30 new roles on top of the 150 roles previously announced in April 2017, which will come online with immediate effect.

The firm says its Dublin facility has a potential future capacity of over 400 employees, and Citrix says it is looking to hire a broad range of talent to fill roles across a range of functions including network engineering, technical support, finance and sales.

The company, which first came to Ireland in 1999 said its newly established Sales Academy will promote the development of junior sales talent, with the aim of preparing them for more senior roles with the company in the future.

Mazars said 30 new jobs will double the size of its presence in Galway

Audit, tax and advisory firm Mazars has officially opened its new Galway office and announced that it will create up to 30 new jobs over a three-year period, doubling the headcount of the office from 30 to 60.

While 20 of the new positions will service its recently created outsourced accounting business in Galway, there will be an additional 10 roles in audit, tax and advisory also located in the new office.

Mazars first established in Galway in 2004 and its new office, spanning 6,000 sq. feet, is located at Mayoralty House in Galway city.

These additions bring the total number of Mazars Ireland staff to over 400 in Limerick, Galway and Dublin.

Irish Technology Company Announce 50 new Jobs for Dublin & Cork

Positive ProStrategy Retail has announced plans to increase their workforce by 50 to over 110 in the next 3 years.

The company said that all of these roles will be ‘specialist IT consultant and support positions’ based in Dublin and Fermoy. Co Cork.

As a Gold Microsoft Partner working from three offices in Ireland, Positive ProStrategy Retail ‘provides Unified Commerce solutions to clients in Ireland and Europe’.

Minister Pat Breen said the retail sector in Ireland ‘has grown significantly in recent years and the sector makes a vital contribution to the economy, accounting for almost 280,000 jobs’.

“With over 70% of these jobs outside Dublin, the sector plays a particularly important contribution to regional enterprise development,” he said.

The Authentic Food Company to close Dundalk facility
The Authentic Food Company in Dundalk confirmed on 19 October it is to close, with the loss of 180 jobs.

Nik Basran, managing director of The Authentic Food Company said the firm have faced some ‘serious business challenges’ and had ‘no option other than to close the Dundalk facility’.

Fianna Fáil TD for Louth, Declan Breathnach described the closure of the Authentic Food Company in Dundalk as a ‘huge blow to the county’:

“Formerly Heinz, this plant has been a feature of the local community for quite some time and when taken over by Authentic Food Co it became an important employer in north Louth. There’s little doubt that these workers are worried about facing into an uncertain future after receiving this notice.”

Around 400 new jobs over next few years by VoxPro

Cork-based VoxPro announced on 17 October the creation of around 400 new jobs in the city over the next number of years.

The announcement will see Voxpro’s total number of jobs in Ireland grow to 3,000 in Ireland.

” The expansion of the company from their Cork base into Dublin as well as internationally over the last number of years has been remarkable. The Government has been working hard to ensure we have the right conditions in place to encourage job creation across the country, and this is another positive signal that our pro-business policies are bearing fruit in Ireland. I would like to warmly congratulate VoxPro on this announcement for the company.”

MSD to create 170 new jobs for Carlow

On Tuesday 16th October, healthcare company MSD announced it will construct a second manufacturing facility at its existing site in Carlow with the creation of 170 new jobs.

MSD has operated in Ireland for 50 years and follows the company’s announcement in May 2017 that it would create 330 new jobs and invest €280 million in its manufacturing facilities in Carlow and Cork, and in February of 2018 that it would create 350 new jobs as part of a new biotech facility called MSD Biotech in Dublin.

An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said MSD has gone ‘from strength to strength’ since first opening in Carlow in 2008 and it now employs more than 2,000 people across the country.

Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland said:

“MSD’s decision to develop a second manufacturing site in Carlow and create an additional 170 roles greatly strengthens Ireland’s position as a global destination for manufacturing excellence in vaccines and biopharmaceuticals. The company’s decision is a strong endorsement of the talent and skills in Ireland and in the South East Region.”

Co Antrim firm creates almost 300 jobs

Co Antrim based engineering business, Camlin has announced it is creating 298 jobs as part of a £28 million expansion at its Lisburn headquarters.

Invest Northern Ireland Chief Executive Alastair Hamilton said 98 of the jobs are already in place, and when all the positions are filled ‘will generate over £9.5million annually in salaries to the local economy and provide skilled employment locally and across Northern Ireland.’
Invest NI has offered £5million in support.

The Camlin operation spans over 21 countries across the globe and currently employs 251 people at its Lisburn site.

“We are delighted with the support we have received from Invest NI which has enabled us to recruit new staff quickly and develop new products with global sales potential.”

Invest NI’s support includes £953,377 in R&D assistance, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the EU Investment for Growth and Jobs Programme 2014–2020.

Overstock to expand Development Centre in Ireland with 100 New Jobs

E-commerce and technology leader Overstock.com has announced plans to expand its European base in Sligo, creating 100 new research and development roles and more than tripling the office’s current headcount.

The new full-time positions will include junior and senior roles in areas such as software development and testing, machine learning, and data analytics.

Over 30 jobs for North West

Derry-based manufacturer, Fleming Agri Products has announced it is making a £4million investment and creating 34 new jobs in the North West.

Invest NI has offered the company £220,000 of support towards the new roles which include Production Operatives, Sales Executives and Managers. The 34 staff will be in place by 2020, with 15 of the roles already in place.

“The new jobs being created will generate over £700,000 in additional annual salaries for the Northern Ireland economy which is a great boost for the Derry City & Strabane District Council area.”

Grant Thornton
Consultancy from Grant Thornton has announced it is creating a further 48 new jobs in a £4 million (€4.5m) investment in its Northern Ireland operation.

Invest NI has offered the company £240,000 of support towards the new roles.

Des Gartland, Executive Director of Regional Business, Invest Northern Ireland said the new jobs will ‘not only help to develop the talent pool in Northern Ireland but will provide a substantial addition in annual salaries to the Northern Ireland economy including very attractive roles for Managers, Directors and graduates.’

SOTI announces 50 jobs with 50 more over next three years

Canada-based company has announced a new Galway office, as part of an initial investment of over €20 million, creating 50 immediate new jobs, with a further 100 to be created over the next three years.

The investment is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.

SOTI has experienced 93 consecutive quarters of profitability, with more than 17,000 enterprise customers. The opening of the Galway office represents a significant milestone for the company, which now has 10 global offices, and a workforce that will exceed 1,000 employees by the end of 2018.

SOTI President and CEO, Carl Rodrigues, said that the company plans to strengthen its European footprint with a permanent presence in Ireland:

” Galway is already home to many Fortune 500 companies, making it a particularly attractive destination to source experienced development and sales talent. We are proud to be officially open for business in Ireland, and I encourage all potential new hires to be a part of something big – join SOTI and make your career limitless.”

Co Antrim manufacturing company to create 17 jobs
A Co Antrim family business is recruiting 17 additional staff to help deliver growing sales across Great Britain.

Garage Doors is a leading manufacturer of bespoke garage doors and is expecting its sales ‘to grow by 50% over the next three years due to a buoyant UK construction sector’.

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